People are charged less than $60 to give birth in Finland.

[Dexter]

Our healthcare is only the best if you're wealthy. Average people over there have much better options. That's why public approval of their healthcare system is extremely high.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-finland-is-consistently-ranked-one-of-the-best-places-in-the-world-to-be-a-mom/

Finland's healthcare system has helped give it the lowest maternal death rate in the world -- and it's available to everyone for next to nothing.

Dr. Aydin Tekay is the chief physician at a labor ward in Finland where every mother there gets a private room and even the option of a water birth. The cost? Less than $100 euros, and almost 50 percent of which they'll get back as reimbursement. That means it costs less than $60 to have a baby, compared with the U.S. where the average natural birth costs over $12,000 and insurance doesn't cover all of it. Tekay said there's no reason the U.S. can't replicate what Finland is doing. He blames U.S. politics.

The maternal death rate in the U.S. has nearly doubled over the last three decades; in Finland they've cut it in half.

[Sanguine]

The maternal death rate in the U.S. has nearly doubled over the last three decades; in Finland they've cut it in half.

To what factors do you attribute our high maternal death rates? @Dexter

[ABX]

It isn't really free. Outside their outrageous taxes, they pay a 1.1% income tax (on top of other income taxes) specifically for medical services and a .82% daily income tax for local medical services. Their income tax rate for someone making 94K (euros) is 66% (compared to 24% in the US).  They are taxed 75% on dividends and capital gains and their VAT tax is 24%.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_Finland

You pay, out the ass, whether you use it or not.

[rustynail]

Big deal.  In the USA birth is Free for illegals, refugees and the 'poor'.